Screw You, PMS
Raise Your Hand if You’ve Been Personally Victimized by That Week Before Your Period.
If I were to say ‘screw you’ to one of the menstruation cycles, it would be the Luteal Phase. That’s right, I’m not even choosing the phase where you literally bleed for days on end (don’t get me wrong, that very much sucks). I’m choosing the phase right before your period where your body literally decides to betray you and go back on every healthy thing you’ve been doing for the past month. I know this phase is important for pregnancy and all that, but until that is something I’m exploring, screw it!
This isn’t going to be an extra long post, but I’m currently experiencing this phase and I want to vent.
The thing is, I know it’s coming every single month. I tell myself, ‘alright, I’m not going to give in to the cravings, the anxiety, or the mood swings. I’m going to be happy and active.’ Well, that’s easier said than done. Almost every month, for those 3-5 days before my period starts, I get my butt kicked. For me, during this phase, pimples pop up (this is new…a year ago I never had this problem…great), there is much more snacking and time in my bed, much less exercising, and I tend to want to spend a lot of time alone. Because of these things, I feel extremely gross and guilty because I feel like I’m not taking care of myself the way I should be and I feel like I’m doing myself a disservice.
I get annoyed cause no matter how well I think my progress is coming with working out and eating well and being active, every month, that week before my period I decide to give up on one or more of my goals. Well guess what, we got our hormones to thank for that. The fluctuations in Progesterone and Estrogen during the second half of the Luteal Phase can cause your body to feel and act in such ways. And even though I I can get super down on myself during this time of the month, these are a couple things I like to keep in mind;
Don’t be discouraged! I shouldn’t be discouraged by the weight fluctuations, the food cravings, the lack of motivation, or the anxiousness. The way your body responds to the changes in your hormones is natural. Let it do its thing. I shouldn’t be discouraged by comparing myself to the experiences other women are having during their cycle. Everybody’s body is different. Different women have different responses to their fluctuating hormones.
Ladies, we don’t have to be on it at all times. You can give your body a break without feeling bad about it. If you feel like pushing through but are still struggling, try changing up a few small things. These are a few things I’m going to start being more adamant about; Starting my day off with a workout to get it out of the way, drinking more water throughout the day, reading a book in bed instead of binge watching a show or tiktok (currently rereading Harry Potter), and most importantly, being kind to myself.
Peace, Love, Sweet Scented Wildflower